


Dawnie Does Detection

by punch_kicker15



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Bechdel Test Pass, Established Relationship, F/F, Female-Centric, POV Female Character, Rare Pairings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-12
Updated: 2015-05-12
Packaged: 2018-03-30 04:45:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3923440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punch_kicker15/pseuds/punch_kicker15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In an AU post-Chosen, ATS Season 5, Dawn and Kennedy investigate a haunted porn movie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dawnie Does Detection

“ _A Savage Lay? Starlust? Rimsome Joy?_ Really?” Dawn asked.

Kennedy said, “They're girl on girl porn movies based on Robert Parker novels. How could I _not_ check them out?”

Dawn didn't share Kennedy's enthusiasm for murder mysteries (knowing someone who was murdered kind of soured her on the genre), but most porn wasn't exactly big with the plot, so she shrugged and said, "Okay."

They settled on the bed in front of the TV set.

Spenser was played by Lori Leonards, who apparently solved crimes by getting naked with witnesses.

"Why is Lori talking like she's got marbles in her mouth?"

"She's trying to do a Boston accent," Kennedy said.

"Wait, this is supposed to be in Boston? I thought I saw Wilshire Boulevard a few minutes ago."

Kennedy snorted. "Yeah, I bet _Rashomon_ shot more scenes in Boston than this movie."

Dawn started snickering, Kennedy joined in, and then Dawn couldn't stop laughing. She buried her head into Kennedy's shoulder, and as the giggles finally subsided, she kissed Kennedy's neck.

They lay back on the bed, the movie completely forgotten. Dawn pulled Kennedy's shirt off and unclasped her bra.

Kennedy pulled on the zipper of Dawn's jeans, but it was stuck. Kennedy yanked on the zipper a couple of times, but nothing happened.

Kennedy said, "I never liked these anyway" and ripped the jeans apart at the seams.

Dawn gasped, partly from surprise, and partly because there was just something so . . . hot about being with someone as strong as Kennedy.

But then Dawn's head started tingling painfully.

Kennedy pushed a stray lock of hair away from Dawn’s face. "That glowy green magic trick? Super hot."

Somewhere deep inside her head, Dawn heard a voice repeating _letmeoutletmeoutletmeoutletmeout_.

"That’s not supposed to be happening. I'm hearing voices--" Dawn said.

Kennedy jumped up, paused the movie, and grabbed her cellphone. "I'm calling headquarters."

And just like that, the voices and the head-tingling were gone. "Don't. I think I'm ok now."

She really did feel better, but the weirdness had broken the mood. They went to sleep early that night.

Dawn had almost forgotten about the movie until several days later, when Kennedy returned from slaying with a gleam in her eye. She popped the DVD in the player and started it again.

Almost immediately, Dawn felt her head start to-- _letmeoutletmeoutletmeoutletmeout_.

“Stop,” she groaned. Kennedy stopped the movie, and once again, the voice and the tingling subsided.

“I think it’s the movie,” Dawn said.

Kennedy said, “Let’s get Willow on this.”

Dawn said, “Wait, let me think of how to ask--” but Kennedy sent a text before Dawn could finish her sentence.

Dawn grabbed the phone and read the message: _how do i know if porn i have watched is haunted?_ Oh, great. Kennedy led off with the porn. That meant that there was a 50/50 shot that Willow would start with a lecture like, _filmed pornography is inherently exploitative; the only ethical choice is written pornography because it doesn’t require any live actors._

***

Fortunately, Willow and Fred had been out for dinner and drinks at Tequila Madness, so when they arrived, Dawn only had to endure a couple of giggling fits from them. That was a relief. Dawn preferred a tipsy-but-giggly Willow over some of the alternatives.

When Willow had composed herself, she started to play the movie, then waved a hand in front of the TV. After what seemed an eternity of _letmeoutletmeoutletmeoutletmeout_ , Willow stopped the movie. She looked a bit flushed. “There’s definitely someone’s soul in there, but I couldn’t get it out. The spellwork was all twisty, and kept asking me who I was trying to save, and I didn’t know.”

Dawn said, “So if we find out who died, we can help set their soul free?”

“Yeah,” Willow said. “I got the feeling it’s someone connected with the movie in some way.”

***

Kennedy said, “I think my eyes have started bleeding from all of this staring at the computer. Can we take a break now?”

Dawn said, “C’mon, think of it as detective work. Real detectives figure lots of things out through computer research.”

Kennedy sighed. “But they also get to intimidate people to get information. Can’t I just beat up demons until one of them gives us our ghost’s name?”

Dawn wished she had a better idea than Kennedy’s, but the truth was that none of their research had come up with any good leads. They’d spent weeks tracking every single person listed in the credits of the movie, every stage name, every alias, and there were no deaths. Everyone involved was in perfect health. It was maddening. And Willow and most of the new Slayers and Watchers were in Kowloon, stopping the apocalypse-of-the-week, so there was no one else to help with the research.

“Let’s go home,” she told Kennedy. “I’m going to do a dampening spell so I can try to watch the movie again. Maybe we missed something.”

Kennedy grinned. “Now that’s my kind of research.”

The dampening spell left Dawn feeling like sounds and images were coming from a long way away, but it quieted the _letmeoutletmeoutletmeoutletmeout_ enough that she could actually pay attention to the movie.

About thirty minutes in, she saw what she’d missed the first time in. “Get the laptop and bring the DVD,” she told Kennedy. “I know who it is.”

***  
Cordelia looked smaller and more fragile than Dawn remembered (or maybe didn’t remember. Those stupid monks made everything so complicated.)

Every breath Cordy took seemed so labored. Dawn had the feeling she didn’t have much time. But she’d never done such a big spell on her own since that thing with her mom, and that hadn’t gone well at all.

“Maybe I should wait until Willow gets back from Kowloon,” Dawn said.

Kennedy said, “She doesn’t have enough time to wait for Willow.”

Dawn said, “If I mess this up--”

Kennedy wrapped an arm around Dawn, and tilted her head up so they were looking into each other’s eyes, “You won’t. I know you can do this. And I’ll be right here to help you.” And that was equal parts comforting and aggravating. It was nice to know Kennedy believed in her, but that belief came with a lot of pressure. What if Dawn couldn’t live up to it?

But if Cordy died because Dawn was scared, that would be even worse than letting Kennedy down.

Dawn got out the spellbook, and started playing the DVD on the laptop. “Let’s do this.”

***

“Explain to me again how I ended up in a porn movie? Without getting paid for it?” Cordy’s voice sounded thin and raspy, probably from months of lack of use.

Dawn said, “It looks like the cinematographer went around LA to film stock footage to run between the, um, action scenes, and he filmed a minute or two outside of Common Grounds--”

Kennedy said, “And you were in the background getting a latte or something.”

Cordy said, “Hello, lawsuit! As soon as I can find a non-evil law firm.”

And then Angel and Wes came in to exclaim over Cordy and her miraculous recovery, and Dawn figured that was their cue to go.

Outside of Cordy’s room, the exhaustion from the spell finally sunk in. Dawn said, “Let’s go home. I feel like I could sleep for three weeks straight.”

Kennedy said, “Maybe we could watch another movie before you go to sleep?” A sly grin crossed over her face. “Just, you know, in case there’s someone else we could help.”

“Well,” Dawn said, “You know how committed I am to saving lives.”

**Author's Note:**

> The Cordy plot twist was inspired by the facts of the case EASTER SEAL SOCIETY FOR CRIPPLED CHILDREN AND ADULTS OF LOUISIANA, INC. v. PLAYBOY ENTERPRISES, 815 F.2d 323 55 USLW 2627, 1987 Copr.L.Dec. P 26,090, 2 U.S.P.Q.2d 1585. This is the first, and, I hope, the last time I cite a legal case at the end of a fanfic.
> 
> Written for femslash_minis, for carlyinrome, who wanted Dawn/Kennedy, an uncooperative zipper, detective work, and the text how do i know if porn i have watched is haunted?


End file.
